Disney Announces Rise of the Resistance Opening Dates; Pushed Back to 2020 for Disneyland

Disney has just announced that Rise of the Resistance will open on December 5, 2019 in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and has been pushed back to January 17, 2020 in Disneyland. The ride has been plagued with issues during construction, leading to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run being the only attraction currently open in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in both parks. With the announcement of the opening dates, it appears that the issues will be much more time consuming to fix at Disneyland than they will be to fix at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Rise of the Resistance is said to be the most ambitious, most technologically advanced ride that Disney has ever built. It will immerse guests in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance and will blur the lines between fantasy and reality. Guests will get an active role in the fight against the First Order that will include a face-off with Kylo Ren! Put up against Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, we anticipate that this attraction will be the showstopper once it opens in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Back to Rise of the Resistance. The attraction begins in the Resistance forest, with guests entering the queue under a canon and into an outdoor queue that winds between trees and rockwork before entering a cave system.

Rise of the Resistance entrance

Guests will be going through tunnels carved by an ancient civilization with old carvings. In the caves, guests will also pass munition supplies before coming face-to-face with Poe’s ship and ultimately boarding the Resistance Intersystem Transport Ship. Before guests board, BB-8 will greet guests in the Ready Room. Rey will then appear as a hologram asking guests to join the Resistance and fight the First Order in a dangerous mission. The wingman for the off-planet mission will be Resistance pilot Poe Dameron. The transport ship will be piloted by an audio-animatronic Nien Nunb that will be seated in the cockpit. The ship is then cleared for take-off as the transport doors close. While carrying out the mission for the Resistance, the ship and all of the guests on board will be captured by a Star Destroyer.

Model of the Resistance Intersystem Transport Ship

Poe will leave to get backup, but while he does, you’re taken hostage by the First Order. A massive hanger with a 100-foot wide screen of outer space will immerse you in a very familiar Star Wars scene. You’ll ultimately find yourself in a holding cell, formulating a plan to escape.

You’ll board a First Order Fleet Transport trackless ride vehicle to wind through a variety of scenes as you try to make it back onto a friendly ship that can help you return safely to Batuu. Poe will arrive just in time with other Resistance fighters to help you escape and make it back to Black Spire Outpost.

The whole experience is going to culminate in one of the most ambitious and immersive attractions ever built by Imagineering.

Just a few reminders:

According to Disney, Rise of the Resistance will follow in the operational footsteps of Smugglers Run and it will not offer any FastPasses when it opens. This applies to both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World version of the attractions, as the answer shows up on each of the respective FAQ sections.

Rise of the Resistance will have a minimum height requirement of 40″.

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